19-Nor 4,6-pregnadien-6-methyl-17α-ol-3,20-dione (nomegestrol) and the related molecules of Formula III are useful steroid intermediates for the synthesis of pharmacologically active 19-nor steroids. For example, 19-nor-4,6-pregnadien-6-methyl-17α-ol-3,20-dione (nomegestrol) can be used to synthesize nomegestrol acetate (19-nor-4,6-pregnadien-6-methyl-17α-ol-3,20-dione 17 acetate), a women's health steroid.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,284,720 discloses that 10-methyl steroids of the andostane or pregnane series are converted to the corresponding 19 hydroxy steroids by fermentation with a fungal culture of the genus Nigrospora. 
19-Nor steroids have been chemically synthesized from 19-hydroxy steroids.